Bottle holder



Nov. 21, 1944. w. B. C RANE 2,362,990

I I BOTTLE HOLDER Filed Aug. 24, 1940 INVENTOR WALTON B.CRANE IATTORNEY-.5

Patented Nov. 21 1944 poms HOLDER 1 Walton B. Crane, Dos Angelou, cum;allignor to Morris Paper Mills, Chicago, 111., a corporation of IllinoisApplication August 24, 1940, Serial No. 354,695

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved carrier for the packagingof a plurality of articles, such as bottles of beverage or the like.The. subject matter of this application is in the nature of animprovement on that of my co- -pendingapplication Serial No. 304,337,filed November 14, 1939.

'One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a carrier forbottles or similar articles, wherein a number of such articles may beconveniently and securely packaged for transporta-- tion and may becarried conveniently in the hand,

as in instances where a hall. dozen bottles of beverage are purchased atone time for home consumption. V

Another object of the invention is to provide a knocked-down orcollapsible carrier which can be readily set up by the user withoutrequiring stapling or other additional fastening means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a knocked-down bottlecarrier which may be cut out of paper board as a unit, by a singledie-cutting operation, in a form such that when set up it has reinforcedbottom, wall and handle portions which qualify it to retain its contentssecurely and to support a heavy load with safety.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of such a bottlecarrier which retains its receptacle form after being set up, even inthe absence of any of its intended contents, but which without involvingany unfolding, disconnecting or mutilation of any of its portions.

Other and further objects of the invention will be pointed outhereinafter or will be apparent upon an understanding of the disclosuresin the accompanying drawing and following description.

One embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing and hereinafterdescribed but it is to be understood that this is presented for purposesof illustration only and is not to be considered as exhaustive of theforms in which the invention may be embodied nor to be construed tolimit the'appended claims short of the true and most comprehensive scopeof the invention in the art.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the complete unitary blank, as cut from a sheetof paper board or similar material, to form a bottle holder embodyingthe present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the completely assembled bottle holder asformed by the folding of the blank shown in Fig. 1, the same being shownin its collapsed condition, as for storage or for shipment to the user;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the device shown in Figs. land 2with its parts in intermediate positions which they assume in the courseof its being set up for use from the collapsed condition shown in Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the device in erected condition, thepositions of contained bottles being shown in dotted lines; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a handle construction ofslightly modified form.

.In the drawing, corresponding parts are designated by correspondingreference numerals, thenumerals I0 indicating conjoined panels whichform the bottom of the device and the numerals l2 designating "side wallportions which are integra'lly and flexibly connected with the bottomalong parallel crease lines 36. In the upper portions of the side wallsare provided bottle-receiving apertures which are formed by the partialslotting out of fiaps 16 between portions ll, said flaps remainingintegrally connected with the sheet along their upper ends and beingadapted to assume vertically depending positions in approximatelyparallel planes, as illustrated in Fig. 3, when the carton is set up, sothat they form separators between bottles which are inserted through theopposite bottle-receiving apertures.

Integral with the upper ends of the side wall portions I4 are handleportions Ill which are provided with openings 21 adapted to accommodatethe fingers of a persons hand so that the device may be grasped andcarried in pendulous position. Extending from the upper end of one ofthe handle portions 20 is a connecting device comprising a strip portion28 and a terminal tab portion 30 which is somewhat longer than thehandle openings 22.

Each of the portions l0, l2, l4 and 20 is provided with lateralextension flanges or strips at itsopposite margins, the same beingmarked off by crease or score lines 32, the portions of said stripswhich are conjoined to the bottom portions being designated by thereference numerals 44 and the portions of the strips which are conjoinedto the side Walls are designated by the reference numerals 48 and 50.These lateral flanges are crossed by the creases 36, diagonal creases 34are formed in the lateral flanges extending divergently from theintersections of said creases 36 and 32, thus marking ofl V-shaped goresin the lateral flanges48.

The bottom is provided with a medial fold crease 42 at the junction ofthe bottom portions Ill and with openings 40 out completely through thesheet at points on the crease 42 spaced from the creases 32, and thecrease 42 continues across the flanges 48 beyond the ends of the bottomportions l0. Extending from each of the openings 40 to the adjacentouter corners of the bottom are diagonal or oblique crease lines 38along which the end portions of the bottom are adapted to fold inwardly.

The foregoing describes the blank of Fig. 1, which may be cut from asheet of paper board or the like by a simple die-cutting operation. Toform up the device from this flat blank, the lateral flange portions 48and 50 are folded inwardly along the crease lines 32 until they contactthe adjacent inner surface portions of the side walls and the blank ispartially folded upon itself along the bottom crease line 42 while theend portions of the bottom are folded inwardly, bellows fashion, along.the diagonal crease lines 38. Consequently, when the side panels areswung into contact with each other, the triangular bottom portions 46and the conjoined flange portions 44 will attain inwardly foldedpositions such as illustrated in Fig. 2, the V-shaped gores foldingalong the crease lines 34 to accommodate the angular relationship offlange portions 48 and 44, the flange portions 44 remaining in theplanes of the triangular bottom sections 46 when in the iii-foldedposition, When the parts are thus folded together along the bottomcrease fold 42, the handle portions 20 will meet each other face to-faceand with the handle openings 22 in register. Thereupon, the handleportions may be secured together in their face-to-face relationship,which may be accomplished by swinging the strip 28 downwardly across theupper margin and against the opposite side of the opposite handleportion 20, inserting the locking tab 30 through both handle openingsand folding it upwardly again against the outer side of its conjoinedhandle portion, in the relationship shown in Fig. 3. This gives thedevice its completely folded and assembled form but in its flat orcollapsed condition illustrated in Fig. 2.

To set the device up for reception of its contents, it is necessarysimply to swing the bottom portions l upwardly between the side wallportions, as in the fashion illustrated in Fig. 3, until both the bottomportions are swung into a common plane. In this movement the side wallportions swing apart from each other along crease lines extendedlaterally from the upper and lower margins of the bottle-receivingapertures, and the triangular sections 46 of the bottom areautomatically caused to swing outwardly and downwardly into the plane ofthe other bottom portions. At the same time the triangular bottomportions are thus caused to assume an angular relationship to the endflange portions 44, which latter are retained in upstanding positions atthe ends of the bottom by I virtue of the connection of said flangeportions 44 with the flange portions 48 through the medium of thetriangular gores. Thus, by the simple operation of swinging the bottomsections I0 upwardly from the collapsed position, all the other parts ofthe device are caused to assume their set-up positions automatically,the side wall portions I4 assuming positions where they divergedownwardly from the handle portions 20 and the flaps I6 assuming theirvertical y depending positions midway between the side walls. over, asthe bottom reaches its unfolded position, the straightening of foldcreases which define the ends of the bottom, together with thestraightening of the flanges 44 along the ends of the bottom, produces astrut-like structure which holds the bottom in its unfolded conditionand is effective to space or brace the side walls apart at their lowerends. Consequently, the device retains its set-up condition, with anapproximately flat bottom upon which it will stand upright with thelower portions of the side Walls extending upwardly from the oppositeside margins of the bottom and the bottom end flanges 44 standingupright along the end margins of the bottom, all as illustrated in Fig.5.

The bottles B or other articles for which the device is designed maythen be placed in it by being inserted, bottoms first, through thebottle-receiving apertures to positions where they stand upright on thebottom in two rows, separated by the depending tabs 66 and with thenecks of the bottles projecting upwardly through the bottle-receivingapertures. The end flanges 44 retain the lower ends of the bottlesagainst sliding off the bottom and the sloping wall portions l4 preventthe endmost bottles from toppling outwards. When the package is liftedby the handle, the weight of the contents causes the side wall portionsbelow the bottle-receiving apertures to be drawn inwardly so that thebottles are firmly gripped and pressed against the tabs it from oppositesides in such fashion that they are effectively held against rattling.The structure is well qualified to support the very considerable Weightof a half dozen bottles or more of beverage, as the in-turned marginalstrips 48 and 50 constitute load-carrying elements in addition to theside walls themselves. These lateral strips are held definitely in theirin-turned positions against the inner surfaces of the side Walls, byvirtue of the re-entrant bends in said strips at the lower ends of thesloping wall portions l4 and the salient bends in said strips at thelocations where the sloping side wall portions 14 join the verticallyextending handle portions 20. Being thus securely retained in theirinwardly folded positions, the strips 48 and 50 retain the bottom flangeportions 44 against swinging outwardly.

In Fig. 6 is illustrated a modified form of handle construction whereinthe strip portion 28 and locking tab 30 are eliminated and the handleportions 20 are fastened to each other in face-toface relationship byother fastening means, exemplified by wire stitches or staples 52.

One or all of the bottles may be removed from the carrier withoutinvolving any unfolding or mutilation whatever. This is accomplished byfirst removing one or more of the intermediate bottles of the row, bydrawing same upwardly through the bottle-receiving apertures, whereuponthe endmost bottles may be moved inwardly to positions where they'areclear of the side wall More-.

portions l4 and then maybe withdrawn upwardly. After all the bottles areremoved, as after the device has been used to return empty bottles tothe bottler, it may be readily collapsed to flat condition simply byswinging the triangular bottom sections 46 and end flanges 44 inwardlyon the oblique crease lines 38 and swinging the side wallportionstogether. This permits quantitles of the returned carriers to be storedcompactly while awaiting reuse.

I claim:

1. A bottle carrier comprising a sheet of paper board shaped and creasedto provide a bottom on which bottles may stand and side walls flexiblyconnected to opposite side margins of the bottom so as to be swung toangular positions relative to the bottom and lateral flanges extendingalong side margins of the side walls and end margins of the bottom andflexible inwardly relative to adjacent portions of the side walls andbottom, the bottom having a bottom fold crease between and parallel withits side margins to permit it to be folded upon itself when thesidewalls are swung together and having openings cut' through I itacross said bottom fold crease, the bottom having oblique fold creasesextending from the respective openings to the adjacent outer comers ofthe bottom, whereby end portions of the bottom and'the flange portionsconjoined to them may be folded inwardly bellows fashion along theoblique fold creases to collapsed condition between other portions ofthe bottom and side walls when the sheet is folded upon itself alongsaid bottom fold crease, and means for connecting the upper end portionsof the side walls to each other face to face.

2. A bottle carrier comprising a sheet of paper I board shaped andcreased to provide a bottom on which bottles may stand and side wallsflexibb' connected to opposite side margins of the bottom so as to beswung to angular positions relative to the bottom and lateral flangesextending along side margins of the side walls and end margins of thebottom and flexible-inwardly relative to adjacent portions of the sidewalls and bottom, the bottom having a bottom fold crease between andparallel with its side margins to permit it to be folded upon itselfwhen the side walls are swung together and having openings cut throughit across said bottom fold crease, the bottom having oblique foldcreases extending from the respective openings to the adjacent outercorners of the bottom, whereby end portions of the bottom and the flangeportions conjoined to them may be folded inwardly bellows fashion alongthe oblique fold creases to collapsed con-, dition between otherportions of the bottom and side walls when the sheet is folded uponitself along said bottom fold crease, a handle being provided at theupper portions of the side walls whereby the set-up device may becarried in pendulous position.

3. A bottle carrier comprising a sheet of paper board shaped and creasedto provide a bottom on which bottles may stand and side walls flexiblyconnected to opposite side marginsof the bottom so as to be swung toangular positions relative to the bottom and lateral flanges extendingalong side'margins of the side walls and end margins of the bottom andflexible inwardly relative to said margins, the bottom having a bottomfold crease between and parallel with its side margins to permit it tobe folded upon itself when the side walls are swung together and havingopenings cut through it across said bottom fold crease, the bottomhaving oblique fold creases extending from the respective openings tothe adiacent outer comers of the bottom and the flanges having obliquefold creases extending across them divergently from the outer corners ofthe bottom, whereby end portions of the bottom and the flange portionsconjoined to them may be folded inwardly bellows fashion along theoblique fold creases to collapsed condition between other portions ofthe bottom and side walls when the sheet isfolded upon itself along saidbottom fold crease, and means for connecting the upper end portions ofthe side walls to each other face to face.

4. A bottle carrier comprising a sheet of paper board shaped and creasedto provide a bottom on which bottles may stand and side walls flexiblyconnected to opposite side margins of the bottom so as to be swung toangular positions relative to the-bottom and lateral flanges foldedinwardly along side margins of the side walls and extending along endmargins of the bottom and flexible to angular positions relative to thebottom, the bottom having a bottom fold crease between and parallel withits side margins along which it is folded upon itself to permit theside.

- ed inwardly bellows fashion along the oblique fold creasesto-collapsed condition between other portions of the bottom and sidewalls, and means. connecting the upper end portions of the side walls toeach other face-to-fac'e, the side walls beingcreased transversely intheir upper portions to permit their lower portions to swing apart whenthe bottom is unfolded.

5. A bottle carrier comprising a sheet of paper board shaped and creasedto provide a bottom on which bottles may stand and side walls flexiblyconnected to opposite side margins of the bottom so as to be swung toangular positions relative to the bottom and flanges folded inwardlyalong side margins of the side walls and extending along end margins ofthe bottom and flexible to angular relationship thereto, the bottomhaving a bottom fold crease between and parallel with its side marginsalong which it is folded upon itself to permit the side walls to lieagainst each other, said bottom having openings cut through it acrosssaid bottom fold crease and having oblique fold creases extending fromthe respective openings to the adjacent outer corners of the bottom, endportions of the bottom and the flange portions conjoined to them beingfolded inwardly bellows fashion along theoblique fold creases tocollapsed condition between other portions of the bottom and side walls,and means connecting'the upper end portions of the side walls to eachother faceto-face, a handle being provided at the top of the devicewhereby it may be supported in pendulous relationship with adjacentportions of the side walls and bottom, the bottom having a bottom theadjacent outer corners of the bottom, end

portions of the bottom and the flange portions conjoined to them beingfolded inwardly bellows fashion along the oblique fold creases tocollapsed condition between other portions of the bottom and side walls,and means for connecting the upper end portions of the side walls toeach other face-to-face, the side walls being creased transversely intheir upper portions to permit their lower portions to swing apart andbeing provided with apertures of size to permit insertion of theintended bottles bottoms first through them.

7. A collapsible bottle carrier comprising a sheet of paper boardcreased and shaped to form a, receptacle having a bottom on whichbottles may stand and side walls flexible to and from upstandingpositions along opposite side margins of the bottom and flanges bentinwardly from side margins of the side walls and extending along endmargins of the bottom and flexible to and from upstanding relationshipthereto and normally occupying upstanding positions when the bottom isin normal angular relationship to the side walls, the bottom having abottom fold crease midway between and parallel with its side margins andextending across said flanges, and the bottom having openings cutthrough it across said bottom fold crease adjacent the ends of thebottom and having divergent fold creases extending from each of saidopenings to the adjacent outer corners of th bottom, whereby the bottommay be folded upon itself to collapse the receptacle with the flangeportions which are along the ends of the bottom swung inwardly andfolded upon themselves, said folded flange portions being moved tonormal upstanding and unfolded positions auto matically when the bottomis unfolded to normal position in the setting-up of the receptacle.WALTON B. CRANE.

